Dorothy in Wonderland
by Naatta
Summary: While exploring the Gray Gale, DG finds a mirror hidden in a room. The next thing she knows she, Cain, Jeb, Glitch, Toto are tumbling down a rabbit hole and come face to face with a young woman with blond hair outside of the O.Z. OZ/Wonderland crossover
1. Down the Rabbit Hole

DG was about at the end of her rope with all of them

DG was about at the end of her rope with all of them. All she had wanted was some piece and quiet and look what it got her: a yappy little dog mentor, a completely brained half whit, an over protective body guard and his son as her entourage for the day.

So much for adventure…

It had all started off pretty normal with the new princess wanting to explore and look for new adventures. She'd practically explored the royal castle to death so for a change of pace she'd mentioned to her sister her want to look around the Gray Gale some more.

Well Az told Glitch.

Glitch told Tutor.

Tutor told Jeb.

Jeb told his father.

Now DG was grinding her teeth looking for a chance to sneak off away from the group to do some real exploring before Cain had a chance to break down anymore doors claiming the room might be booby-trapped.

"I know it's called the Gray Gale, but why did they have to make _everything_ gray? Makes it look a little bland, don't you think?" Glitch stood staring at a painting on the hall wall, hands on his hips in thought.

Tutor barked and Cain looked back at them. "Jeez, zipper head, how the hell should I know? I'm not some interior decorator so why ask me?"

Glitch rolled his eyes and looked at the ex-tin man. "It was an open question, not specifically asked to you." He looked back at the painting. "Hmm…what do you think DG?" No answer caused him to turn around. "DG?"

And then panic ensued. Toto barked, Glitch started rambling and Cain ground his teeth together. He looked at his son, "Damn it if she's not good at disappearing! You take the south end while I go this way."

DG could hear them even from down several corridors. She looked back for a minute to make sure she hadn't been spotted yet and turned another corner. She looked up at the paintings and other artworks on the walls as she moved quickly down the hallways. She opened one door after another, peeking her head in only to find it empty or full of boxes but nothing that peaked her interest.

She reached a dead end and opened the last door on the left. This room was different from the rest. Instead of boxes everything was covered in sheets like you do with old furniture in an unoccupied bedroom. On a table in the center of the room something glinted at her and although she could hear someone coming down the hall she felt compelled to see what it was.

Approaching the table she saw it was a small mirror, delicately placed in a simply crafted circular frame. Next to it on the table sat a picture of a woman with a young girl. The girl she recognized as the original Dorothy but the woman was a mystery. She stood in the black and white photograph in elaborate clothes showing obvious royalty, a simple circlet adorning her hair which must have been very blonde in real life because it looked almost white in the picture. In the photo she was handing something small to Dorothy. With closer examination she saw it was the same mirror that sat on the table.

Not thinking she picked it up and looked at herself in it. She gently ran her thumb over the glass and the next thing she knew there was a great flash of light and suddenly she was falling. Down, down, the world blurring as she fell until trees began to blur together like a runny painting. They began to sharpen and become more real as she drew closer to then until finally with a hard THUMP she landed on her butt in a clearing. Looking around she saw she was alone and nothing looked really familiar, but the best part was the mirror was nowhere to be seen. Realizing she must have left it back in the room panic began to set and the only thing she could think to say was, "Cain is going to kill me."


	2. Where's DG?

Jeb stared blankly at the place where DG had once stood

Jeb stared blankly at the place where DG had once stood. He began to blink his eyes to try to get the spots to fade and looked around the room, but no DG. He heard his father calling and yelled back, "In here!"

Cain and the others moved at a quick walk, accept Toto who was running due to short legs, finding the door left open and Jeb standing over a table in the center of the room staring down at something.

"Where's DG?" He asked, panting slightly from running around looking for that blasted girl.

"She's in here." Jeb pointed to the thing he was looking at on the table.

"What?" Cain moved forward to look over his son's shoulder at his own reflection in a tiny mirror. "You're not making sense boy."

While all this was going on Glitch looked around the room. "This seems somewhat familiar…" he muttered, Toto at his heels.

"I found her in here, holding this mirror and the next thing I know there was this bright light and she was gone!" Jeb explained, panic obvious in his voice. It's obviously a transportation spell of some sort but I don't where it leads."

Cain looked at the mirror, picking it up gently by its frame turning it over and studying it. "You sure this is what she was looking at?"

Glitch, in a simultaneous move, had pulled a sheet off a painting on the wall. The woman from the photograph on the table was staring down at him, very regally sitting sideways on a thrown, her long, golden hair braided with pearls over her right shoulder, pooling in her lap and the tail end eventually touching the floor. In her left hand was a large golden scepter while her right hand sat gently in her lap holding a small mirror.

Suddenly everything made sense to Glitch and he quickly turned to see Cain pick up the mirror, examine it and run his thumb over the glass. "Don't touch that!" He yelled, but by not the world was a bright flash followed by almost instant falling.

"What happened?" Cain yelled, holding his hat to his head for dear life as he, Glitch, Toto and Jab fell towards the ground which was becoming clearer by the second.

"That mirror was a gate and we're all getting transported to somewhere. DG probably got sent here as well!" Glitch yelled over the roaring of the wind in his ears.

"WHAT?!" Cain yelled. He would have demanded more of an explanation but the ground had by now caught up with them and they all landed in a large heap in a clearing of trees.

Glitch rolled off of Jeb and sat up; checking his zipper to make sure it was securely closed and stood. "Like I was saying, that mirror, more fondly known as the Looking Glass, is a gateway to the Wonder Kingdom outside of the O.Z."

Glitch extended a hand which Jeb took as he hauled himself to his feet. "You mean we're not in the O.Z. anymore?" He asked.

"Exactly. We're in the neighboring kingdom to the west of our dear Outer Zone." Glitch held out a hand once more for Cain but the older man got up easily by himself and straightened his coat. "Although I've never been here myself I'm almost 100 sure we're not in the O.Z. anymore."

"So where's DG?" Cain looked around. "She must have landed here just like we did not ten minutes ago so she must be somewhere nearby."

Toto, who had been sniffing around for several minutes stopped and began to bark like he'd found something before racing off into the woods.

"Guess he's found her scent." Cain said as he jogged after the little dog, everyone quickly following suit.


	3. Following Toto

They'd been following Toto for a good couple hours before Glitch finally fell on his face one too many time for Cain to handle. "Alright," He hollered after the dog. "Let's take a quick break to catch out breath."

Glitch straightened himself into a seated position, panting heavily, and rubbed his booted feet. "I think I wore the wrong shoes today, my feet are killing me!"

"Well if you keep slowing us down by falling all over yourself I'll kill ya faster then those damn shoes of yours will." Cain grumbled, sitting himself down on a boulder and looking over the land. "When did DG get so damn fast?"

"Don't know," huffed Jeb. "But I think she's not alone. In case you haven't noticed she hasn't been leaving a very good trail to follow, like she's being led by someone or something."

Cain nodded. "I noticed that too." He stood then. "Come on Ambrose. We're headin' off again."

They traveled on for another hour or so until it started to become dark. By the time night had completely fallen they could see a small fire through the trees 100 yards and closing. As they neared Toto began to bark in excitement.

"Toto?" Called a familiar voice from near the camp.

"DG!" Glitch chirped happily at the sight of the young princess sitting on a fallen log near the camp fire. "I didn't know you knew how to make a fire!"

"I didn't." DG said simply. She noticed Cain giving his son a silent nod before Jeb disappeared off into the trees. "Where's he going?"

"To get more firewood." Cain answered calmly as he circled the immediate area. "Nice spot. Very well hidden from most angles."

"Yeah, she said that too." DG watched him stop and turn to her.

"Who is 'she'?" Glitch asked.

"The girl who found me when I landed here." DG would have explained more if someone in the distance had not screamed.

They all scrambled to their feet, Glitch grabbing a stick out of the fire for a torch and headed in the direction of the sounds of a fight. Jeb came into view as he was wrestling with someone who was pulling every trick in the book to get away. Biting, scratching, kicking, and flailing about was still not enough however because Jeb had it's arms pinned just trying to avoid the kicks he was getting from reaching his 'tender area.'

"Jeb!" DG yelled, making Jeb flinch in surprise. His opponent took that moment and kicked him in the knee making him loose his grip. The person slipped out of the arm lock and tackled Jeb to the ground sitting on his chest pinning his wrists to the sides of his head.

Glitch followed the rest, having walked slowly to save his aching feet, and held up the torch to see Jeb and his opponent more clearly. Glitch gasped, "Good heavens!"

With enough light to finally see his attacker, he was able to take a quick moment to look the person over. Tattered and worn running shoes, cover in dirt from running braced against the ground as cut off jeans with suspender-like straps hanging from the belt loops, pinned his lower half to the earth. A snippet of a sky blue shirt peaked out from under a grungy blue and grey, horizontal striped jacket, the strings of the hood dangling over his face. A glint of a silver stud in her nose and black rimmed, square glasses over blue eyes glared down at him as shoulder length platinum blond hair fell down around her face. His brain took a few second before his mouth admitting stupidly, "You're a girl!"

She glared down at him, blue eyes blazing. "Of course I'm a girl you idiot!" She yelled angrily at him. "What's the big idea jumping me in the dark?"

"I thought you were DG's kidnapper." He said stupidly.

"Yeah, well, I'm not."

DG came up behind her and took her arm to pull the other girl off before Cain ate her alive for beating up his son. "Come on, we need to get back tot fire before we freeze out here."

The young woman got to her feet, but before Jeb could get up she kicked him in the groin again send him curling into the fetal position. "That's for putting my in that headlock!"

DG pulled her angry friend back towards the camp as Cain helped his son to his feet and they all headed back to the campfire.


	4. Alice with a 'D'

Jeb and the new girl had not stopped glaring at one another for over an hour now. They had all returned to the fireside where the rebel and the newcomer had taken positions on opposite sides of the roaring fire. DG sat on the sidelines of this glaring contest, wrapped in a ratty blanket her new friend had given her, Toto in her lap, and Cain beside her. Across from them sat Glitch who was awkwardly fidgeting with anything he could get his hands on, whether it was a piece of grass or the zipper on his head.

"So…" Glitch broke the silence, finally unable to take it any longer. "What's your name, young lady?"

"…D'Alice." She murmured barely audible as she continued to stare down the young man across from her.

"Alice! That is a pretty name. Seems vaguely familiar…" Glitch shut up quickly as the glare swiftly shifted to him.

"Not Alice, 'D'Alice'! Get it right!" She snapped at him.

DG looked surprised. "You mean like 'Dallas' the city in Texas?"

"Used to be." She grumbled. "I changed the spelling when I hit 21. It was my birthday present to myself. I hated getting mistaken for a boy so I changed to be 'Alice' but with a 'D.'" She sighed and leaned back a bit. "I do miss Texas though."

DG near jumped to her feet in excitement. "You mean you've been to the other world?"

D'Alice gave her an 'are you for real' look. "Of course I have. It's where I came from."

"You mean to say you came from the same world DG did?" Jeb grumbled angrily, still brooding over the fact he'd been beaten up by a girl.

"Not exactly. That world is pretty damn big." She spit the words in his direction and looked back to DG. "Where you from?"

"Kansas."

D'Alice laughed. "Then no, we're not from the same world." When nobody laughed at her little joke, she dropped it. "Nevermind, bad joke."

Glitch leaned forward in curiosity at this new information. "How'd you get here then?"

"I was actually in England when I got thrown here. You see the thing is I just recently graduated from college and my parents and I were taking a cruise to celebrate. More so, it was a second honeymoon for them but anyway while we were docked in England my parents went on a couple of the tours while I headed out on my own. I was out walking in a park area by some river and I dropped something. It rolled away under a bunch of brush and when I crawled after it to pick it up, I fell down a hole."

"In England? Talk about far away from home." DG added.

"You must have fallen down a rabbit hole like we did." Glitch muttered, not really paying attention to DG's additives.

"Rabbit hole? Hell that tunnel must have been at least 10 feet around at least!" The young girl exclaimed. "That rabbit must be huge if it needs to make a hole that big."

"No. No. I mean a 'rabbit' hole. I guess you could say it's kind of like one of those wormholes DG told me about once."

"But a wormhole can only be found in space." DG protested.

"Yes, well, this is just a theory. You see, what I remember from old texts about rabbit holes is that they work much like a transportation spell in the fact that they take a person from one place to another very quickly. They differ, however, because it is believed that rabbit holes, like your wormholes, can almost bend the fabric of space and time, sending a person greater distances than any spell ever could." Glitch rambled on some more things about the similarities and differences but he was cut short.

"How do we go back?" Cain said promptly, getting rather irritated at all this science speech.

"Find another rabbit hole that leads home." Glitch said simply, smiling. "Rabbit holes only go in one direction. If you hadn't tuned me out you would have heard that part."

The ex-Tin Man rolled his eyes. "Where do we find one?"

"They are everywhere but the only way to get through one is with a gate." Everyone gave him a dumb look and he sighed but continued. "For example, remember that mirror we found in the Gray Gale?"

"Yes." DG answered. "Was that a gate?"

"I believe so. Some great sorcerers know how to tie a rabbit hole to objects or places, like the mirror or the hole you found hidden in the brush. We need to find something like that to send us home."

"Whoa, wait a second here." D'Alice cut in. "When you say 'mirror' do you mean 'the Looking Glass'?"

"The what?"

"The looking Glass. Everyone around her knows about it." D'Alice stated matter-of-factly.

"Well in case you didn't notice we're not _from_ around here so why don't you explain it." Jeb said.

"Hey! Don't cop an attitude with me, Blondie or I'll knock you into next week!" D'Alice snapped.

"Blondie? Look who is talking! Your hair's more blonde than mine!" Jeb stood angrily jabbing a finger in her direction. "And I usually don't hit girls but since I already unknowingly decked you once today I'm willing to make an exception!"

"For your information, moron, my hair is _dyed_ this color. I'm originally a brunette like DG here." She jabbed her thumb in DG's direction but kept her eyes on the hot-collared young man in front of her. "I can tell from your lack of brain cells that your hair is _natural_."

"You calling me stupid?"

"If the shoe fits."

His eyes narrowed to barely slits, ready to pound her into the ground when Cain stepped between them. "Enough you two. You're acting like spoiled kids."

"She started it." Jeb muttered under his breath, sitting back down.

"Ladies do not start fights, but they can finish them." D'Alice smiled smugly.

Jeb opened his mouth to speak but DG cut him off. "What is the Looking Glass?"


	5. conversation with minor arguing

AN: For those of you who are actually reading this story and enjoying it, I would like to say thank you and I hope you enjoy it. For the most part I don't usually write 4 chapters in 2 days but since it's fresh in my mind and I've been have a major drive to write all this down before I forget it, so let's cross our finger and pray this time I actually complete a story. I'm really rooting for this one. I know I can do it!

Love!

"The Looking Glass is said to be the mirror Alice stepped through to get to Wonderland and apparently this is the place Alice came to and eventually became the queen of."

"She became the queen?" DG inquired, leaning forward to hear more. "How'd she manage to do that?"

"People around here say she defeated someone called the "Red Queen" and took the throne and became queen. I don't really know much of the story, just what I've heard in passing from villagers."

Toto began to bark and hopped down from his place in DG's lap. He moved a good space away before shift into his human form.

"Whoa!" D'Alice's eyes went wide in surprised and nearly fell of her log. Jeb started to laugh and she gave him a one-fingered salute. "Shut up Blondie."

"Make me." He shouted back, giving her the gesture back, even though he didn't know what it was he figured it was some kind of insult.

"Settle down you two before I separate you." Toto, now in Tutor form, warned. "I changed for a reason you know."

"What is it Tutor?" DG asked.

"I know the story behind the Looking Glass, DG. And I think you need to hear it." He shifted his glance to the young woman making faces at Jeb. "You too young lady."

Tutor sat next to D'Alice with a questionable look. "Where exactly did you land when you fell through the rabbit hole?"

D'Alice paled. "In the castle drawing room. Scared the crap out of a house cleaner. She kept screaming, 'Intruder! Intruder!' So I ran off and outta here."

"What about people in towns you've passed through?"

"I avoid them as much as possible. I was starving after the first day here and went into towns to see about food. The vendor took one look at my hair and fainted. People stayed away from me as if I was diseased but gave me everything I wanted without pay. Then the number men came and started trying to arrest me and I high tailed it outta there. I've been hiding in the woods ever since."

A red flag went up in Cain's mind. "Number men?"

"The ruler of this land is a man known as the Red Prince. His army, called the Deck, is like deck of playing cards. Four generals and their two wingmen a piece, then the lower ranks called number men. They each have a number showing their rank under the coordinating general. The higher the number the lower the rank and weaker they are. Just stay away from anyone with a number 1 through 10. They are the hardest to beat and by far the hardest to lose once they start chasing after you." D'Alice explained. "I learned that real quick when the General Spade almost got a hold of me. He would have had my head for sure."

DG sighed, "Sounds like long coats all over again."

Tutor nodded. "D'Alice, do you have any idea why the people were acting so strangely around you?"

"Because she's an eye sore?" Offered Jeb, which got him multiple glares and a raspberry blown in his direction.

"No." Tutor said simply. "It's because of your hair."

D'Alice's hand went instantly to her head. "My hair? What does my hair have to anything to do with this?"

"There is an old poem told back in the O.Z. about a girl with golden hair." Tutor informed her.

Glitch's face light up light the light bulb above his head had finally come on. "You yeah, I remember that one! Something like:

_When days of evil ruled the land,_

_A prophecy was foretold_

_One child brought with shoes of silver glass,_

_The other with hair of gold."_

"The first girl is the poem was the original Dorothy and her shoes taken from the Witch of the east." Tutor explained. "The girl with hair of gold was Alice, brought here first through the rabbit hole, and then the Looking Glass."

"So everyone thinks I'm Alice come back from the grave or something?" D'Alice questioned. "Then these people are stupid. It isn't possible."

"Well technically everyone thought DG was dead for 15 years." Glitch countered honestly. "And she returned to the O.Z."

"But the real Alice, the one from the books in my world, Alice lived during the late 1800's. She's been dead for over a millennia and counting! That and I'm pretty damn sure I'm not related to her in anyway so why am I here? Because I look like her?" No one spoke for a good minute or so, wondering that same thing. "It doesn't really matter why I'm here. I just want to know how to get back."

"The best guess would be finding someone who knows about rabbit holes." Glitch suggested. "Or someone who has another looking glass since ours is back in the O.Z."

"The White Rabbit!" DG suddenly exclaimed. "Alice originally followed a white rabbit to get to this place. He must know how to get back!"

D'Alice's expression lightened. "It's worth a shot. I've been trying to get in and around the town as best I could but it's rather hard to do alone. I could use the help and the search for him."

"So we're looking for a rabbit? Wouldn't it be better to be looking in the forest?" Jeb questioned.

"The rabbit was said to wear a vest with a pocket watch and walk around yelling, "I'm late! I'm late!" D'Alice explained. "I'm pretty sure the towns would be the best places to look." She watched him make a face at her and she made a face back.

"He did have a house off in the woods somewhere though." DG cut in. "But she's right to check the towns first. Somebody has got to know about a talking rabbit with a problem keeping time."

"Then you'll help me get into town tomorrow?" D'Alice asked an almost pleading tone in her voice.

DG nodded. "Of course."

Cain nudged the young princess in the arm. "DG, I need to talk to you a second. Alone."

He dragged her off into the woods a bit, away from peering eyes and when he thought they were out of ear shot he spoke. "I don't like this plan." He said simply.

"Why not?" DG interjected, wrapping herself more in the blanket suddenly missing the warmth of the fire.

"Because this isn't our business to help this girl. She was stupid enough to get herself here now she can find her own way back."

She gave him a look that made him internally wince. "She needs our help, Cain. She doesn't belong here, and in case you didn't notice, we don't really know how to get back either. I think it would be in the best interest of everyone to help her find a way back. If not to the other world, then at least back to the O.Z."

Cain could see she wasn't going to budge on this subject. He let out an exasperated sigh and lowered his head in defeat. "I hope you enjoy this adventure, princess, cause when we get back to O.Z. you are under palace arrest, you hear me?"

DG smiled. "Of course, Cain. Whatever you say."


	6. Shoe Polish and mushrooms

Jeb woke the following morning and was slightly confused

Jeb woke the following morning and was slightly confused. It took him a minute to realize that he wasn't at home in his bed, but sleeping with a nasty crick in his neck on a forest floor. He sat up, stretching this way and that, enjoying the loud CRACK as his new found crick was righted. Looking around he saw his father leaning up against a nearby tree, and nearly laughed at the sight of DG snuggled up in his father long trench coat next to him. Tutor, on the other hand was back in his dog form and balled up next to Glitch who was in a sleeping position much like the dog himself.

But someone was missing.

He looked across the dead fire pit at the large, and empty, smashed piece of ground next to a fallen log. That girl was gone.

He stood a quietly as he could but stilled as he caught his father's gaze. The ex-Tin man said nothing as not to wake the sleeping princess, but nudged his head in a silent gesture of in the direction to his left. Jeb understood and quietly headed off to find their new acquaintance.

Jeb weaved between trees and ducked under low hanging limbs until he heard the sound of water rushing. He found himself at a rivers edge and licked his lips. He hadn't drunk anything since their meal last night and knelt down, scooping some up in his hand and pouring it into his mouth. After a few second he made a disgusted face and spit it back out. The river was rancid tasting. He looked down at his hands and saw they were slightly blackened from the liquid. He brought his hands to his nose and sniffed for poison but he was surprised at what he found.

"Shoe polish?" He muttered to himself. The sounds of nearby splashing made him freeze in place, unconsciously reaching for his gun. When he heard it again he turned towards the sound, which was coming from up the river, but saw nothing.

Jeb rose to his feet and stepped lightly, gun drawn, over the river rocks upstream and towards the sound. He rounded a tree and saw D'Alice rinsing a brush in the river. He watched as she then rubbed it into a tin of polish and then took some of her blonde hair in her hand and scrubbed it, turning it ratty and dark.

Not paying attention he stepped down on the river stones a little too hard, causing a seemingly ear-piercing crunch in the silence. The young woman turned in surprise but after seeing who it was she visibly relaxed. "Oh," she said, "It's just you."

He felt slightly insulted at her remark but his curiosity kept him from a snappy comeback. "What are you doing?"

"Putting on my make-up." She said sarcastically. "If we're going into town I have to do this otherwise I stick out like a sore thumb."

"Why don't you dye it?" He asked dumbly, which he received a nasty look in return.

"I tried that. It didn't take to my hair. For some reason shoe polish seems to work the best to make my hair not so…"She looked up as if in search for the word. "Platinum." She rinsed out her brush once more and stood, storing the brush and polish back in a small leather bag she swung over her shoulder and across her chest. "Besides, I wear ratty clothes, I rub some dirt on my face and I fit right in as a pig farmer's daughter. They don't look at me and I can look for the rabbit in peace."

She walked past him, heading back to camp and gave him a lazy smile. "You're in luck, Blondie. I'm in a good mood today. But don't push it with me, alright?"

He said nothing but followed her back to a sleepily waking camp.

DG yawned and stretched, nearly hitting Cain in the face with her elbow and blinked herself awake. Her eyes went wide at the sight of the girl walking towards her. "What the hell did you do to yourself?" She asked in horror.

"I'm in disguise." D'Alice answered simply as she kicked Glitch's shoe and he bolted upright, grass stuck in his zipper and hair.

"I'm awake!" He mumbled, looking around with half-lidded eyes. He squinted at his awakener. "Who are you?" He asked sleepily.

"I'm your wake up call." She smacked him upside the head and smiled as he grunted. "Time to get up sleepy zipper-head if we're going to make it to town before noon."

"Can't we have breakfast first?" DG whined looking over her shoulder. "Those mushrooms over there look really good."

DG reached over to pick one but D'Alice caught her hand. "No, we don't have time. If we get there by noon the place will be packed and we could easily miss the rabbit in the crowds." She looked DG straight in the eye and said very quietly. "And NEVER eat the mushrooms."


	7. Win a prize

By noon, the village square was full of people moving about their day. With all the hustle and bustle, the new comers were able to blend easily into the crowd. "The place that gets the most travelers would be the village tavern at the other end of the square" D'Alice pointed out, trudging through the dirt road, her head low. "We should start there."

"What about all these shops?" DG asked looking the wooden building over as they passed them. "I'm sure the tavern isn't the only place around here that gets a lot of newcomers."

"There are too many shops for all of us to check as a group." Added Cain, "This would all go a lot quicker if we split up into pairs." They looked at him in wait for his orders. "Jeb and I will check out the tavern and ask around, DG, you and the new kid check out the shops on the left side of the square, Glitch and Tutor will take the right. We'll meet back behind the building were we entered the square in one hour, got it?"

"We who are we exactly looking for again?" Glitch asked. "I need a physical description to work with."

"We're looking for a white rabbit wearing a nice looking vest with a gold pocket watch." She looked over at Tutor. "And if he's anything like you, he's probably a shape-shifter."

"Great. Then it could be anyone." Glitch rolled his eyes.

"The watch is enough to go by for now." Cain stated. "Hopefully we'll ask the right questions and get a better description to work off of later."

After a little more grumbling from Glitch, the group soon broke up and went in their assigned directions. D'Alice and DG wandered in and out of the stores, D'Alice asking most of the questions to the store owners before something caught DG's eye.

"Hey," She said, moving over to table with three upside down cups lined up in a row and a sign that said, "WIN BIG" on it. "I know this game."

"Would you like to play?" Asked the man sitting behind the table. He wore a long cloak had a dull-white hood covering his hair, but he looked up at her to show off golden-brown eyes and a buck toothed yet pearly white smile. "Guess where is and you win any one thing from my store of your choosing free of charge."

D'Alice looked the table over skeptically. "That's an awful nice giveaway for a simple guessing game, what's the catch?"

"No catch." He said simply, spreading his hands wide, laughter in his eyes. "All you have to do is tell me where the pea is and you win the game."

DG smiled. "Sure. I'm game."

The man smiled triumphantly and put a small green pea under the middle cup. He began to quickly shift the cups back and forth, weaving them in between each other. DG tried to follow the once-middle cup but eventually lost track of it. When he stilled his hands and tucked each of them into his robe sleeves, he smiled. "You have one shot. Guess well."

DG tapped her chin with her finger in thought and after a few seconds, she touched the top of the middle cup with hand. "It's under this one." She said, lifting the cup, but there was nothing underneath it.

"So sorry." He said, looking from the princess to her friend, smiling knowingly. "Would _you_ like to try?"

D'Alice thought about it a second and smiled. "Sure. Why not?"

Then man took his hands out of his sleeves and began to shift the cups around again. When he stopped a second time and resumed his arm-folded position and smile widened. "Guess well."

D'Alice looked at him, then at the cups. "All I have to do is tell you where the pea is, correct?"

The man nodded. "Yes. Although I must warn you, no one has guessed correctly today."

DG paled slightly but her friend just laughed. "So that's how it is." She reached over the table and grabbed the man's right hand. "Open it." She said.

The man looked surprised for a moment, before he smiled warmly and opened his hand revealing the green pea. "How did you know?"

"When you switched the cups around you brought them close to the edge of the table. Eventually the cup with the pea would get too close to the edge and the pea would end up in your robe sleeve. All you had to do is sit like you were, hands in your sleeves while people guessed."

"Very good." He said, rising to his feet. "The challenge was to tell me where the pea was, which you succeeded. After all, I never said it would be under the cups." He moved to the shop door, opened it and waved them inside. "Come, choose you prize."

Cain and Jeb wandered into the tavern and eyed the situation. The place was full, even for it only being midday and the majority of the people in there were wearing matching red and black uniforms, each with different numbers on the shoulders and chest.

"Those must be the number men new kid was talkin' about." Cain muttered under his breath to his son. Jeb nodded, but kept silent, looking over the crowd. The two moved silently to the bar, each taking a seat and ordering a beer a piece.

Cain started asking the bartender subtle questions about watchmakers in the area while Jeb listened to a group of nearby number men arguing over something.

"That girl is a menace." Said one, slightly swaying in his seat around the table. "Why the general wants her taken alive is beyond me."

"Of course it's beyond you. You're drunk!" Griped another. "But you're right about that bitch being a menace. She's been a thorn in our asses since she got here."

A third, down the last of his drink and belched. "Rumor has it that it's a direct order from the Jack, himself, that she be captured alive." The smiled smugly as his comrades leaned forward at the sound of good gossip. "Heard tale that that girl just dropped out of the sky one day. Crashed right through the palace roof, although there was no hole or nothin'. Rumor has it that she's Alice, back from the grave, and she out for the Jack's throne."

"Then why does he want her alive?" The drunken first asked. "I'd want the bitch's head on a platter if she was the Jack."

The third grinned. "That's the best part. Word 'round the camp is the Jack's lookin to marry 'er."

"What?" Second's eyes were wide with question. "Why?"

Third rolled his eyes. "Don't you twits get it? If she really is Alice, come back for the throne it'd make sense he'd want to marry 'er. That way he could just lock her up and keep the throne all to himself."

First laughed. "Yeah. That's all women are good for anyway."

Suddenly a huge man appeared behind the drunken man and slapped him upside the head. "Get up you idiots!" He hissed, "Villager's are sayin that girl's somewhere in the village askin questions. We are to arrest her and bring her to the Jack immediately."

The two, less-drunk, number men stood and saluted, running off to follow orders, while the drunken man wobbled to his feet and drunkenly followed after.

Jeb nudged his father lightly. "Word's out she's in the village." He said. "We need to get outta here."

Cain looked around and started rummaging through his pocket for a few coins for the drinks. "Go find the girls while I round up Glitch and Toto. We'll meet you back at the river."

Depositing the coins the two left the tavern, splitting up in hopes to get out of town before there was too much trouble.

DG applauded as D'Alice came out of the dressing room stall. D'Alice made a face as she stood in front of a full-length mirror and assessed the new outfit she was wearing.

Somehow DG had talked her into trying on some new clothes after she'd found out her old clothes were too big. 'When you're living in the woods, starving everyday, you tend to shed a few pounds.' She'd told her friend, but the clothes she was wearing now left a little too girly for her tastes.

"I look like Goldilocks in this." She said simply, making a disgusted face. "Nix the skirt."

"You look nice." DG insisted. "Besides, the skirt part comes off."

"Why am I getting clothes again?" D'Alice grumbled, removing the tried-on clothes. "I'd rather have that gun I was looking at earlier. Or some more shoe polish."

"Because he said we could get the whole outfit as that 'one item' prize he promised." DG muttered, looking at her friend's reflection. "It comes some nice shoes too." DG held up a pair of silver slip-on shoes. "They look pretty well made."

"Then you can wear 'em. I'll take my sneakers over a pair of sliver mary-janes." She watched DG shrug and switch out her falling apart tennis shoes and put on the silver shoes. "Are they comfy?"

"Hell ya. And they fit really well to. I'm surprised; they're more comfy than my tennis shoes were." DG switched places with D'Alice in front of the mirror and looked herself over. "Don't quite match, but who cares?"

D'Alice looked around the shop some more and meandered over to the display case. Inside she saw a small sword sitting in its sheath. It was a pretty little thing, with small inlays of gold on the sheath and handle. "That sword is really nice." She said, staring down at it, a spark of familiarity running through her mind.

The shop owner watched her carefully. "You've seen that sword before?"

She shook her head. "I don't think so. I'd remember something so pretty." She looked up at him quickly to flash him an assuring smile before looking back down into the case. "Could I see it though?"

The robed man moved behind the display case and slid the case door open, pulling it out carefully and holding it with two hands. "This is a very special sword. The only one of its kind ever made."

D'Alice stared at it a moment before lifting her hand to take it. The store door opening caught her attention however and she pulled away to see Jeb come into the store and quickly shut the door. "What are you doing here?"

"Number men." He said simply. "They know you're in the village."

DG became still. "Where's Cain?"

Jeb looked up at the princess, a look of worry on her face. "He went to get Glitch and Tutor." He looked back to D'Alice, an almost pleading look in his eyes. "We need to go, _now_."

DG quickly moved towards the door, Jeb holding it open while she passed out into the sunlight.

"Just let me grab my bag." D'Alice rushed back to the dressing room, shoved her bag over her shoulder and headed for the door.

"Don't you want the sword?" The owner held it out her as if begging her to take it.

She looked at it, then at Jeb's frustrated face. "I chose my prize already." She smiled at the owner. "Maybe next time." And with that she disappeared out into the sun.


	8. Three conditions

D'Alice ran out the door and into the hands of two awaiting numbermen. Looking between the two she noticed the shape of their badges were spades. She was totally screwed.

Dragging her struggling form, the passed through the gathering crowd towards the town square where, standing on the platform was the Red Prince himself, Jack. He grinned down at her wickedly, holding his arms out in a grand fashion. "There's my beautiful bride to be! I've been looking everywhere for you!"

"Like hell you were!" She spat back at him. "You've been trying to kill me for the past six months!" She tried to wrench her hands from the men holding her but they wouldn't give an inch.

Jack made a clicking noise with his tongue. "Tsk Tsk, my love. Such vulgarity. Shouldn't the future queen of Wonder be more genteel and loving towards her intended?"

She smiled at him. "Have these guards of yours let me go and I'll show you just how _loving_ I can be!"

The platform began to shake as a large man came lumbering up the steps, the wood groaning from the sheer size of him. He wore no shirt, leaving smooth, ripped muscles bare to the world and his black pants looked one size too small, the seams ready to split from the muscles on his thighs and calves, but black suspenders wrapped over his shoulders to hold the pants up if they ever did rip to shreds. Large leather boots clomped against the ground as he moved closer, his bald head pivoted down to look at her, glaring down with his beady eyes. His only marking of rank was a tattoo on his left arm, a large black spade, easily seen from fifty paces, if you ever dared to get that close.

In his arms was DG, a gash bleeding on her head as it rolled from side to side. D'Alice flailed in the number's grasp. "What the hell did you do to her Spade?!"

The large man's voice rumbled through her like an earthquake. "I hit her, what's it look like?" His large hands squeezed DG's arm to an odd angle, making her yelp in pain. "Obey the prince or I'll do it again."

She glared up at the demon of a man in front of her. "You'd do it anyway you sick fuck!"

The grin he made then could make even the strongest of men gulp in insecurity but D'Alice, being held down and unable to run, stood her ground. She instead turned her gaze to the Red Prince. "Let her go, she's nobody!"

Jack smiled. "Then why plead for her release?"

"Because she is innocent!" D'Alice looked around the crowd for any sign of Jeb or the others.

DG, however, looked to jack. "She's lying." DG slurred. "I'm not nobody."

All eyes turned to DG, even Jack's. "Who are you then?"

She looked him in the eye and said softly. "I'm Dorothy Gale."

The crowd gasped and erupted in mutterings and whispers. Jack looked around and nodded to Spade who released her arms. DG stumbled forward, collapsing against the other girl's body, tugging the bandana free from her head which caused more gasps and mutterings.

DG laid her head against D'Alice's. "Trust me." She whispered before stumbling back, away from the restrained girl, gaining her footing once again. "I am Dorothy Gale, ruler of the Outer Zone."

"Hmmm…" Jack muttered. "And just how, Ms. Gale, did you get here?"

"I came through the Looking Glass."

Jack's eyes darkened. "You've come to stop me, have you?"

DG nodded, playing into his hand. "But if you leave my friend here alone. I will leave you to your kingdom."

The Red Prince smiled then. "I have a better idea. How about I just marry you instead?"

D'Alice's jaw dropped. "Come again?"

He shrugged. "Why marry a dumb blonde like Alice just to secure my title as King here in Wonderland when I can marry Dorothy and become king of the O.Z. as well?"

D'Alice began to struggle more frantically then. "You can't do that! Mph!" A guard put his hand over her mouth to silence her as Jack moved towards brunette ruler in silver shoes.

"But why admit you presence here unless you had a reason." Jack began to circle her. "What's the reason behind your outburst?"

DG held her ground. "I will marry you under three conditions."

Jack laughed. "Name them."

"First, you release my blond friend and promise never to harm her or attempt to kill her again."

"Done." Jack snapped his fingers and the guards released D'Alice from their grip. "What's next?"

"You give her two weeks to find the Looking Glass that will send her back to her world."

Jack nodded again. "That is acceptable. And the third request?"

"If Alice can find the Looking Glass in the said two weeks and bring it to your palace, we will not marry, and she and I can go home without resistance from you or your deck army. If she can't, I'll marry you and you can rule the O.Z. without any resistance from me or my people."

Jack stopped his circling and looked DG in the eye. "You would risk your life on her ability to find a simple piece of magic glass?" DG nodded and at this Jack grinned from ear to ear. "Very well, terms are agreed." Pointing his strong arm towards the blond on the platform he said loud and clear. "This woman who calls herself Alice has two weeks time in which to find the Looking Glass of the old texts that leads to another world. If she cannot do this time not only will she be brought to bear witness to my glorious marriage to Dorothy of the O.Z. but she will be executed directly after the wedding ceremony."

DG's eyes went wide. "I didn't say that!"

Jack ignored her. "Spade, do as you wish with the blonde." He looked to his future queen. "I promised I wouldn't harm her personally. I never said my general's and their men couldn't prevent her from her quest."

Guards seized DG and dragged her away as Jack left the stage, Spade blocking their exit. The large man grinned down evilly at D'Alice and yelled. "Take her down men!"

"Alice!" A voice yelled from the crowd. She turned to see the man from the shop throw the sword she'd been looking at to her. She grabbed it midair and unsheathed it. Her hand began to vibrate with magic as the sword glowed bright white and took control of her actions. A number man fired his gun at her which she dodged, charging at him and ran him through. She pulled the sword free and chuckled. "Magic sword, huh? Nice."


End file.
